Horse racing: Two races will keep trainers on their toes

Trainers Robert Wellwood (left) and Roger James. Photo / Trish Dunell

A Group 2 race one of New Zealand’s most in-form stables can’t win at Pukekohe tomorrow may hold as much fascination as the Group 2 race they can.

Both will provide trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood with crucial guides as to whether they can capture the two signature races of Auckland Cup week.

The Cambridge pair have two of the favourites in the $140,000 Avondale Cup tomorrow, with Dionysus and Contemplation in career-best form.

But while the Cup is their prime target tomorrow and they don’t have a runner in the Avondale Guineas, they will watching that three-year-old race almost as intently.

The Guineas is the final lead-up to the $1 million NZ Derby at Te Rapa on March 4, for which James and Wellwood have Prowess as the second favourite and increasingly likely to start in favour of heading straight to Australia.

“At this stage she will be going to the Derby unless something changes,” Wellwood confirmed to the Herald.

“So we will be really interested to see who emerges out of the Avondale Guineas, which should be a really good race.

“At the moment the market might say it is our filly [Prowess] versus Sharp ‘N’ Smart but that could change after Saturday. There are some really good horses in there and one could come out and so something special.”

A Derby win with Prowess, which will have to be earned the hard way over a wonderful stayer like Sharp ‘N’ Smart, would set the stable up for the Derby-Auckland Cup double, one that has never been achieved since the two races moved to the same Cup week slot in late February-March.

The James/Wellwood Cup contenders are well going into tomorrow and as Wellington Cup placegetters are proven at the 3200m that lies ahead in three weeks.

“Dionysus has been in great form and with Warren [Kennedy, jockey] on Aquacade this week we have been lucky enough to get Michael McNab who is riding in the form of his career for him,” says Wellwood.